OHP and Oral Health Education

Department of Global Oral Health
College of Dental Sciences
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre

Department of Global
Oral Health

OHP and OH education

What is the difference between OHP and OH Education (OHE)?
The Ottawa Charter definition of oral health promotion covers a broader area of activities than OHE. The definition implies that promotion of (oral) health should include the creation of healthy public policies and supportive environments, development of personal skills and reorientation of the health services.
Oral health education (OHE) is aimed at improving oral health through the acquisition of knowledge, eventually leading to motivation and finally, to behavioural change according to the health belief model.

For decades it has been considered the panacea that would provide people with better oral health. OHE studies have been performed in many countries. However, accumulating evidence reveals that focusing on individual behaviour, without giving attention to the socio-economic and cultural situation in which people live, does not lead to improved oral health. It appears that individuals do not easily change their behaviour, because behaviour is mainly determined by the social/cultural and physical environment.